


restless

by Fluoradine



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, I think?, M/M, Memories, New Relationship, Nightmares, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-19 23:38:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11324097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fluoradine/pseuds/Fluoradine
Summary: Genji has a nightmare, and knows exactly who to seek out to calm himself afterwards.Fic I wrote for the Genyatta zine - preorders are closed unfortunately but for everyone that didn't get a copy, here's what I contributed!





	restless

**Author's Note:**

> HOO OKAY i forgot to upload this way back, and i'm only just getting around to it now because i got reminded by the wonderful-as-always discord for this zine. sorry about that by the way, but at least it's here now!
> 
> getting to be a part of this zine was great, and i'm really happy with what i made. thanks to volf for letting me take part, and an extra thanks to balenae for helping me edit this. i'm looking forward to doing another zine soon, hopefully!
> 
> and with this ends the great fic dump of june 2017, i'll be back in august hopefully with more to write. enjoy, and thanks for reading!

The nightmare shook Genji back to consciousness, as he awoke in the small room he called his own. The missing wall gave him a view into the valley outside, dark clouds blurring the mountains and making it into a void. Rain was drizzling, and Genji could hear small drops of water falling onto silver bells, making a high-pitched rhythm in the distance. It was sharp and small, like a high key of music, or a prick from the tip of a sword. This was the only sound Genji heard as he was jolted awake, visions of what he’d dreamt still fresh in his mind.

It had been storming when he fell asleep. He had been sitting outside with Zenyatta hours ago when the rain began, lightly at first, then heavier and heavier until it drowned out every word they were saying to each other. He’d left for his bedroom, not wanting to risk being struck by lightning, and drifted off to sleep while thunder boomed overhead. His personal room was isolated from the rest of the monastery, perched above the valley and about the size of a bathroom. It wasn’t anything special; he just had a small mattress and a few pillows to sleep on. But despite the isolation, it was anything but silent when he shut his eyes, drifting off into what was supposed to be peaceful sleep. 

In Genji’s dream, he had been a wolf. He walked across a barren landscape alone, until someone joined him on his path. The hunter that followed him looked like they were nothing but a skeleton. They carried six arrows, each with a thin sparrow’s feather tied to the shaft, along with a crossbow made of oak. When they shot Genji down, each speared head dug itself into a different part of his body, the sheer pain weighing him down to the ground. Each shot stung like venom and burnt like fire until it was too much to bear, and Genji felt nothing. He woke with that bony face still staring down at him, making him feel completely inferior, like he was just the dirt on the bottom of his boot. 

Nightmares used to be common for Genji. He often thought of them as normal dreams, another thing that had cursed him since his death and reconstruction. But he hadn’t had one in months - at least, not one that left him shaking and terrified to be awake. Zenyatta had been the one to rid his sleeping mind of them, helping him to overcome all the damage the dreams were built off of. He hadn’t spent as many nights in his room alone since then, warding off invading thoughts and physical pain by himself. He had distracted himself by talking with Zenyatta until the moon was high above them, walking through the grounds with him until his feet were sore, and meditating with him until he fell asleep with calm thoughts and visions. As recovery came, so did relief, and a release from the warped memories disguising themselves as dreams.

The nightmare had already buried itself into Genji like the arrows had. He now sat with his knees to his chest, taking deep breaths to calm himself after being thrown off by the dream. He stared at the dreary night outside as rain poured from the clouds above into the mist below. He had wondered many times why Zenyatta allowed him to sleep so close to this valley, a drop thousands of feet down to sure death. When he arrived here months ago, he had been a mess of emotions, angry and lost within himself. Zenyatta had been the first he’d met in a while to greet him not with fear, but with kindness, outstretching a hand to help him overcome the doubts that plagued him. Surely he would have known the dangers of allowing someone so fragile to sleep every night next to a drop that high. 

Genji could feel his human heart beating, pounding like a hammer along with the steady beats of rain. The image of the hunter bearing down on his wolf form flashed across his mind like lightning, and he could almost feel the arrow in his back once more. He decided that he would not return to sleep just to be awoken again by these dreams. He would not stay in this room and let his racing thoughts lead him out to the ledge above the mountains. And he knew where he wanted to be to deal with this. 

Genji left the isolated room for the main monastery building, his path lit by nothing but the faint moonlight behind the clouds. He knew Zenyatta usually lit a few candles before shutting down for the night, but they would have all been drowned by the rain. Despite the lack of light, Genji made his way through the darkness of the grounds, his feet landing in cold puddles of rainwater every few steps. On his way he passed a small pond, which had overflowed and spilled lilies onto the stone ground. Normally, sitting by it allowed Genji a moment of reflection and tranquility. But he knew that wouldn’t work for him now. Just being outside alone was making him grow more anxious by the minute. 

Genji was no stranger inside the main sanctum of the monastery grounds. Zenyatta and him were the only Omnics that lived on the grounds, although a few wanderers or old friends of Zenyatta did pass through occasionally. He had only returned here because of Genji, and his supposed need for stability and permanence while he learned to accept himself. He knew nearly every step of the grounds by now, and was beginning to think of it as his true home. He hadn’t had anyplace to call home for a long time, and would find it wonderful to stay somewhere this peaceful with someone who cared so deeply for him. When he thought about it for too long, it felt too good to be true. 

Luckily, Zenyatta’s personal room was not far from the entrance, and so it only took Genji a minute or so to find the thin door with flowery designs. He tapped on it once, then twice more in case Zenyatta had been offline in peaceful sleep. Outside, the rain was still trickling, its rhythm matching with Genji’s calming heartbeat as he attempted to not think of the nightmare. Just as he thought to say something through the door to Zenyatta, an image of the hunter’s flying arrow sliced through his mind, and his words stopped before they even left his mouth. He let out a gasp instead, which took the air from his artificial lungs sharply and suddenly. 

“Genji?” Zenyatta’s voice was muffled by the door, but he quickly shifted it aside, and Genji’s eyes fell on him as he hovered serenely. The hunter’s indignant expression was still fresh in his mind, and for a second it blurred onto Zenyatta’s emotionless faceplate. He could feel fear creeping up his spine as he stood in the doorway, rigid as a hunk of metal. 

“I’m sorry to bother you at this hour, master,” Genji said, taking a shallow breath to compose himself. “Did I wake you up?”

“Not at all, Genji. I had been sorting through some things for a while now,” Zenyatta said, unhesitant to open the door fully and welcome Genji in. “Is something troubling you?”

Genji stepped inside of the small room, noticing the open window with soaked curtains hanging on either side. Zenyatta’s room was plain, with a few things strewn on the carpet, and some pillows lying on the ground as well. Genji sat down on one of them, relaxing his tensed muscles. “There is, actually. I didn’t want to let it bother me while I was alone. I feared it might take more out of me than I have to give.”

“You seemed rushed earlier this evening,” Zenyatta said, lowering himself down to hover next to Genji on the various pillows. “Were you troubled then?”

Genji shook his head. “No, not while we were talking. It was…” He stopped as he felt something crawl up his leg, and nearly jumped to swat it off. But as soon as he moved his hand, he found there was nothing there. “It was another nightmare.”

Zenyatta hummed in concern. “I see. Did you want to tell me about it?”

Nodding, Genji explained the dream he’d had to Zenyatta, explaining every detail no matter how insignificant it may have been. Zenyatta listened to him, nodding his head for Genji to continue whenever he paused. Other than Genji’s voice and the rain outside, the room was quiet. He could hear Zenyatta’s fans whirring softly, a sound that had always instilled a kind of calm in him. He knew it was better to confront this disturbance with Zenyatta than on his own, especially when the Omnic’s mere presence was already enough to comfort Genji. 

“I’m sorry to hear about this.” Zenyatta said, once Genji had finished his recollection.

“You don’t need to be sorry for anything.” Genji said. He moved his hands to the back of his head, removing his mask with a small click. He immediately felt the cold air on his scars and cuts, making him shiver as he took another shallow breath. Being able to show his face made him feel much more comfortable in any given situation. Not being confined by the heavy mask allowed him to breathe deeper and see clearer, and be aware of everything that was happening around him. It gave him comfort to do so whenever he was in a panic, or out of touch with reality. “You didn’t cause it.”

“I know. I only assumed burdens like these were behind you.” Zenyatta said. He took the silver and green mask from Genji, placing it gently beside them on the pillows. “Do you have any idea what caused it, then?”

Genji shook his head. “Just my luck that bad memories would come back when I least expect.”

“You shouldn’t be ashamed, Genji. You aren’t unlucky.” Zenyatta said. He turned his faceplate to the ceiling for a second. Genji followed his gaze, assuming Zenyatta had spotted something he hadn’t, and he felt a spark of fear again. But there was nothing there except the tall ceiling itself, decorated with intertwining coils of lights. “You have been through much more than I doubt anyone else has in their life. I did not expect the effects to leave you all at once.”

“You knew this was going to happen again?” Genji asked in confusion.

“I would have warned you if that was true,” Zenyatta explained. “I meant that I was surprised when they stopped. It was strange that you recovered from them so quickly.”

“I didn’t.” Genji said. And he knew this was true; he was far from where he wanted to be, even after months of being taught and guided. Although many things had changed, memories from his past still had a firm grip on his mental state. He wasn’t an idiot - he knew what his dream had been about. They were always about the same things, from the fight with his brother to the years he spent in pain after it. Those years left scars as deep as the ones on his body. Zenyatta had told him before that he may never fully let them go, and Genji was beginning to think he was right. 

As both him and Zenyatta grew silent, Genji began to wonder if he would always have these nightmares. He knew he wanted to stay with Zenyatta for as long as he possibly could, but the possibilities of what might happen if he left scared him. He didn’t want to face another night terror in an isolated room above a ledge. He wanted to replace his old memories with new ones, filled with peace and joy instead of suffering and anger. He knew he still had a long way to go before he would be happy with himself and his newfound life. But, he was already feeling a sense of relief as he sat quietly beside Zenyatta. This would pass, he thought. Sooner or later, it must, like all things. 

“Are you feeling alright, Genji?” Zenyatta asked, breaking the silence. “We could discuss the dream, if you want.”

“I don’t want to think about it any longer,” Genji said. “It’ll only make me feel worse.”

“That was what you did in the past, wasn’t it?” Zenyatta asked. He turned to look at Genji as if he’d said something that offended him. “Whenever you were troubled by nightmares? Discussing their contents and meaning helped, as I remember.”

“I don’t think that will do much good now. A few things have changed since dreams last troubled me.” Genji said. He knew that was true as well - he wasn’t the same person as he had been a few months ago. And Zenyatta was much more than a mentor or a friend now. Going over what his dream told him used to be helpful for getting over the fear it instilled, and Zenyatta had been a great help when he felt their effects. But now it was the last thing he wanted to do. He just wanted to sit with Zenyatta beside him. That alone was enough comfort. 

“How do you want to deal with your fear, then?” Zenyatta asked him.

“I only came to find you so I didn’t have to be afraid alone,” Genji said. “Talking about what I dreamt will only make me more nervous. Which will only make me feel worse. I don’t want to go through it all again. Besides, this isn’t the first time I’ve had a nightmare.”

Zenyatta thought on what Genji said for a few moments. “If that is what comforts you, then I will do it,” he said after a while. “I’m glad you knew how to find solace, at the least. Suffering alone would make you feel much worse,” He took Genji’s hand. “Could I do anything at all?”

“Could you close the window, actually?” Genji asked, turning his head to the large window. The rain was getting heavy again, now coming down like a waterfall. 

“Does the rain bother you?”

“It’s exposing us. There could be assailants hiding out there, lying in wait.” Genji said. 

“In wait for what?”

“To attack us.”

“You have no need to fear that. You’re safe here.” Zenyatta said, but despite his reassurance, he rose to close the curtains. The red fabric soon covered up the dim moonlight outside, and Genji felt a little more at ease. 

“You should rest, dearest.” Zenyatta said as he returned to sit beside Genji. The orbs circling his neck began to glow, and he bowed his head as they spread out and circled his whole body in meditation. 

“Can I stay here?” Genji asked him.

“Of course. Though I fear I won’t be able to join you in sleep.” Zenyatta replied. 

“Then I’ll rest where I am.” Genji said, and stretched his legs out. He watched as Zenyatta went into his tranquil meditative state. He looked so peaceful and at ease, creating an atmosphere of serenity just by meditating. Genji watched him, admiring the way he looked when he was this calm. He would wait for the day where he could achieve the same level of inner peace. 

As Zenyatta continued to meditate in silence, Genji eventually leaned his head onto his shoulder. He felt the cold metal of Zenyatta’s neck on his face, the chill making him shiver again. “You don’t mind?” he asked Zenyatta quietly. 

“Of course not,” Zenyatta said. “I much prefer it to meditating alone.”

“Thank you.” Genji said in a whisper. He knew the nightmare’s original shock was passing, and would soon only be a memory. He knew it would still be there when he woke up, but he would talk with Zenyatta about it then. He didn’t have to be alone any longer. 

As Genji rested, he no longer felt fear of any sort. It had been replaced with tranquility, simple contentment from not having to be alone. As his eyes fluttered closed, he saw the hunter’s bony face once more, but the image left quickly, as if it had been washed away. Genji could still hear the heavy rain outside, but it was combined with the soft chiming of Zenyatta’s orbs, now circling the both of them as if they were one.

He realized, in that moment, that this was an emotion he had never experienced before. He’d expected to be comforted and soothed by seeking out Zenyatta for help, but the security he felt now was nothing like anything Genji had ever really felt in the past. As the glowing orbs circled and bobbed serenely around the two of them, many good memories came back to Genji from both years long past and from more recent ones. He could recall no time in which he’d felt this safe, sure that whatever disquiet inside him would pass soon enough, that nothing from the outside or inside him could harm him while he was here, and that he would survive this in due time. 

And with that feeling washing away everything the nightmare had given him, Genji allowed himself to fall asleep again, holding onto Zenyatta’s hand as the rain poured down outside.


End file.
